Numeri 3:24 (Numbers 3:24)

Posted on April 30, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 3:24 sub principe Eliasaph filio Lael.

under the chief Eliasaph son of Lael.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 sub under PREP+ABL
2 principe chief ABL.SG.M
3 Eliasaph Eliasaph NOUN.ABL.SG.M.INDECL
4 filio son ABL.SG.M
5 Lael Lael NOUN.ABL.SG.M.INDECL

Syntax

Prepositional Phrase: sub principe Eliasaph filio Lael — indicates authority or leadership, “under the chief Eliasaph son of Lael.”

Apposition: Eliasaph — in apposition to principe, identifying the specific leader.

Genitive-like Relation (Ablative in Apposition): filio Lael — specifies lineage, “son of Lael.”

Morphology

  1. sub — Lemma: sub; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: preposition governing the ablative; Function: introduces relation of subordination or authority; Translation: under; Notes: With the ablative, it indicates position within authority rather than motion.
  2. principe — Lemma: princeps; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine, third declension; Function: object of sub; Translation: chief; Notes: Refers to a leader or ruler, here governing the group mentioned.
  3. Eliasaph — Lemma: Eliasaph; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: ablative singular masculine indeclinable proper noun; Function: in apposition to principe; Translation: Eliasaph; Notes: Identifies the specific chief by name.
  4. filio — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine, second declension; Function: in apposition with Eliasaph, expressing lineage; Translation: son; Notes: Used to indicate familial descent in a descriptive construction.
  5. Lael — Lemma: Lael; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: ablative singular masculine indeclinable proper noun; Function: dependent on filio; Translation: Lael; Notes: Names the father, completing the genealogical identification.

 

About Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Born around 346 A.D. in Stridon, St. Jerome was a scholar fluent in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew whose ascetic discipline and deep engagement with Scripture prepared him for a monumental task: translating the Bible into Latin. Commissioned by Pope Damasus I around 382 A.D., Jerome began by revising the flawed Old Latin Gospels, then expanded his work to the entire Bible. For the New Testament, he corrected Latin texts using Greek manuscripts; for the Old Testament, he translated most books directly from Hebrew—a controversial but principled choice. His final Psalter, however, followed the Greek Septuagint tradition for liturgical use. This composite translation, later known as the Vulgate (editio vulgata), became the authoritative biblical text of the Western Church, formally endorsed at the Council of Trent in 1546. The Vulgate’s influence extends beyond theology into textual criticism and Latin education. As one of the earliest translations grounded in original-language scholarship, it offers a vital witness to the state of biblical texts in late antiquity. Jerome’s lexical and syntactic decisions are studied to trace manuscript history and assess variant readings. Its elegant Latin, consistent in grammar and rich in vocabulary, became a model for medieval and Renaissance learning, bridging classical and ecclesiastical Latin. More than a translation, the Vulgate helped define Christian doctrine, preserved the Latin language, and laid essential groundwork for the critical study of Scripture—remaining indispensable to students of Latin, theology, and textual history.
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